In recent years the quality of cameras on small hand-held electronic devices has improved considerably such that it is now common to capture quality video on point and shoot cameras, smart phones, and the like in addition to camcorders and other dedicated video capturing devices. When capturing video on a camera while moving through a scene, it is desirable to support the camera on a device which steadies the motion of the camera, typically by counterbalancing the camera on a substantially free pivot. Known designs however are typically only well suited for larger cameras having a considerable mass relative to small hand-held electronic devices which are now enabled with cameras.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,563,038 by Hershenzon discloses a support for a camcorder in which the camcorder is counterbalanced with a stabilizer arm on a free pivot which comprises a ball received within a socket. The large contact area between the ball and surrounding socket results in sufficient friction that minor movements of the operator grasping a handle of the ball can be readily transmitted through the socket to the camera.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,255,499 by Schaller and 5,742,859 by Acker disclose further examples of camera balance devices relying on a universal joint comprised of bearings and multiple pivoting parts to allow substantially free pivotal movement of the camera and stabilizer weight relative to the operator supported handle. The complexity of the pivot joints in each instance also results in a sufficient contact area of relative moving parts that the small amount of friction can transmit small vibrating movements from the user to the camera through the pivotal connection when using small hand-held electronic devices. The problem of small user movements being transmitted through the pivot is typically not of concern when using a larger camera as the mass of the camera in the prior art functions to dampen the movement transmitted through the joint.
Furthermore, in each instance in the prior art, steering of the camera typically requires contacting a portion of the support device which is in fixed connection to the camera such that small user vibrations in steering the direction of the camera can be readily transmitted to the video being captured. When using larger cameras in the prior art, the mass of the camera also typically dampens the vibration of a steering movement by the operator; however, the prior art devices are unsuitable for the light weight hand-held electronic devices now enabled with cameras.
The prior art devices are also limited in that the mounting configuration of the camera can only accept conventional camera mounts so that there is no device suitable to support a variety of hand-held electronic devices such as smart phones which are now enabled with cameras.